What We Don't Take in Quakertown, PA

The Five Things That Stay Off the Truck

Each one is off the truck for a reason, and each one has somewhere it does go.

• Asbestos

  And any material in a pre-1980 building that might contain it until it has been tested — pipe wrap, old floor tile and the adhesive under it, boiler insulation, some siding and shingles. Removing it is licensed abatement work under state and federal rules, not hauling work.

  Where it goesA Pennsylvania-licensed asbestos abatement contractor. Once they have cleared it, the rest of the tear-out debris goes on our truck the same visit.

• Liquid oil — motor, cooking, and the oil in the tank

  Transfer stations refuse liquids, so we cannot take them either. The one that matters in Upper Bucks: a heating-oil tank has to be pumped and drained before it moves. Once it is empty, the tank itself is ours — oil tank, boiler and radiator removal is one of the things this crew is actually built for.

  Where it goesUsed motor oil goes back to most service stations and auto-parts counters that sell it — call ahead. Anything else liquid follows the county's household hazardous waste guidance.

• Paint, solvents, chemicals and pesticides

  Thinner, stain, stripper, pool chemicals, weed killer, fertiliser, automotive fluids. Latex and oil-based paints are handled differently from each other — check the county's current instructions before you throw out either one.

  Where it goesA Bucks County household hazardous waste collection event. The county runs them on published dates, at no charge to residents.

• Propane, fuel and flammables

  Grill cylinders, camp-stove canisters, gas cans, kerosene, lighter fluid. Pressurised and flammable material cannot ride in a truck bed with anything else.

  Where it goesMany propane exchange cages will take an old cylinder off your hands when you swap one — ask at the counter. Loose fuel goes to the county HHW event.

• Medical and biohazard waste

  Sharps, needles, contaminated dressings, anything left over from home care.

  Where it goesBucks County and several pharmacies run sharps drop-off programs. Check where the nearest one is before you bag anything up.
• ?

  Two worth a phone call

  Tires, and anything with a title — cars, trailers, boats, campers. Both come down to the load and the site it goes to.

  How to find outAsk when you call and you get a straight yes or no on the phone — which is the whole point of this page.

What We Do Take, Including What Most Haulers Won't

The list of no's above is short on purpose. Here is the other side of it.

• Concrete, brick, block, dirt and soilHeavy material removal, including digging spoil from a pool or patio job.

• Pianos, uprights and grandsPlus hot tubs, sheds, playsets, above-ground pools, 8-ft granite and marble slabs, safes and gym equipment.

• Heating-oil tanks, boilers, radiators and scrap metalOnce a tank is drained, all of it comes out and goes to scrap.

• Barns and outbuildingsHay lofts, corn cribs, spring houses, equipment sheds — and the decades of scrap in them.

• Whole propertiesHouse, estate, hoarding, foreclosure and rental-turnover cleanouts, with 2–3 trucks when the job needs them.

• Light demolitionSheds, decks and interior tear-outs, non-structural only, with the debris going out on the same truck.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why won't Quakertown Borough trash take my old TV?

  Since 2013, Pennsylvania trash haulers have been legally barred from accepting televisions, computers and monitors under the Covered Device Recycling Act, Act 108 of 2010. The borough publishes its own unacceptable-items list as well. We haul e-waste to certified electronics recycling instead, on the same visit as everything else.

• Can you take the heating-oil tank in my basement?

  Yes, once it is empty. Transfer stations refuse liquid oil, so the tank has to be pumped and drained first — then the tank, the lines, the boiler and any cast-iron radiators come out and go to scrap. Above-ground tanks only; buried tanks are a different trade.

• Where do I take old paint and chemicals in Bucks County?

  Bucks County runs free household hazardous waste collection events for residents on published dates — that is where paint, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals and automotive fluids go. Latex and oil-based paint are handled differently from one another, so check the county's current instructions before you throw either out.

• Do you take refrigerators and freezers?

  Yes. Sealed refrigerant has to be recovered by a certified technician before a unit can be scrapped, which is why a curbside crew leaves them behind. That is handled here as part of appliance removal, along with washers, dryers, stoves and chest freezers.

• What if I'm not sure whether something contains asbestos?

  Assume it might, in any building put up before 1980, and leave it alone. Pipe wrap, old floor tile, boiler insulation and some siding are the usual suspects. Testing is cheap and abatement is licensed work. Once an abatement contractor has cleared it, the rest of the debris goes on our truck.

• Do you charge extra for the things the borough won't take?

  Only for heavy material — concrete, brick, dirt and soil add $100–150 per load, because landfills charge us by weight. E-waste, Freon appliances, mattresses and scrap metal are priced the same as everything else: by the truck space they fill. Every surcharge is on the pricing page before you book.